Thermotherapy method with tissue cooling

Abstract

A method for performing thermotherapy treatment of patient prostate tissue, comprising the steps of inserting a thermotherapy probe in a urethral passageway, the probe having a fluid volume containing portion and an energy source inserted therein for generating radiation to heat the patient prostate tissue by the tissue absorbing the radiation; generating a pressurized fluid flow in the probe within the fluid volume containing portion and cooling the energy source by enveloping at least a portion of the energy source to direct the pressurized fluid flow to come into direct contact with and circulate around and over all energy radiating portions of the energy source simultaneously with energy radiation by the energy source, thereby preventing thereby preventing thermal damage to the energy source; and providing an inflatable nondistensible structure as part of the probe inserted into the urethral passageway and inflating the nondistensible structure with the pressurized fluid flow to cool tissue contacting the nondistensible structure simultaneously with energy radiation by the energy source, thereby controlling pain caused by heating localized areas of the tissue contacting the nondistensible structure, and the nondistensible structure upon inflating causing straightening along a longitudinal axis of the treated patient prostate tissue and the straightening enabling greater uniformity and effectiveness of treatment of the prostate tissue.